UN Security Council launches 1st discussion tackling commercial spyware

The United Nations Security Council convened recently to discuss the implications of commercial spyware for international peace and security, marking the first formal UN discussion on this topic, TechCrunch reports.

The meeting, which was called for by the United States and 15 other nations, sought to address the proliferation and misuse of government and mercenary spyware. While no formal resolutions were proposed, most participating nations, including France, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, emphasized the need for tighter regulation. In contrast, Russia and China dismissed the concerns and criticized the U.S. for its history of surveillance activities. Representatives from Poland and Greece shared their nations’ legislative efforts to regulate spyware following domestic scandals involving software from NSO Group and Intellexa. John Scott-Railton of The Citizen Lab highlighted the global threat posed by spyware, attributing its rise to "a secretive global ecosystem of developers, brokers, middlemen, and boutique firms." He noted that Europe, particularly Barcelona, has become a hotspot for spyware firms.